ARE YOU JOINING THE STAMPEDE THIS BLACK FRIDAY?

A.G.

Hi, Jim- welcome! Did you see Enoch's post about being combat veterans

Yes, I did and totally agree with it.

But, it's snowing here now, and the crazy's are out in force...go day to stay home. lol

As combat veterans, both of us have seen enough violence in our lives. That is why we both pass on Black Friday.

That is true Enoch, LOL...A nice

Friday watching a movie, or visiting with friends.

I think I'll go to the beach and see if the winter swells have started doing their thing. Black Friday at Kua Bay two years ago was quite the show.

I don't shop much period unless someone brings out the cattle prod. I do a bit of shopping online for my grandchildren but this usually means books or a DVD I think they'll like. Consumerism is way overrated and truly not my thing.

No stampeeeedes for me. I hate crowds in the worst way. Even in the bathroom there is always someone in the mirror. Why can't he just leave me alone?

Besides, Christ did not tell us to go to the mall and buy stuff.

I am a spontaneous gift giver and it is so much more fun for me. Pressure gift giving seems useless and not in the spirit as spontaneous giving. Most of the gifts I give are from local businesses. Living in Kailua Kona Hawaii, coffee, mac nuts and local goods are appreciated by those on the Mainland so this makes life quite easy for me.

Oh, js. Please, no. Don't tell me you are one of those people who drop by with some f'ing gift every time I see you.

"Oh, grump. I was in the second hand store and saw this flour sifter and since you bake I got it for you." (I already have 3.)

"Oh, grump. I saw this brand of coffee when I was in a shop in Denver and I thought I would get it for you. I know you like it." (She served it at her house once and I made the mistake of saying it was good. I hate the stuff, it tastes like dirty water.)

"Oh, grump. I know you like cheese and look what I got you."

I get so tired of people trying to make me feel indebted to them with things, things, things. Just treat me well. That is enough.

I suppose I could get in the car, drive all over town, and pick up s**t loads of things to have ready for the "Oh I saw this and thought of you" indebtedness creators so I could give them some piece of junk so I wouldn't feel all materially indebted. So, what the f**k are they trying to accomplish, any way by getting me "in debt"?

Gee, that felt good. I had a nice little rant and lived up to my name.

Thanks, Gloria. Oh, crap. Here comes some more...........

And furthermore, those folks (usually women) who bring all this stuff, debt-dealers as you call them, start texting on the cel phone. I don't text, ever. It is kid stuff, I think. You get a text that says: "Here at the car wash and thinking of you." What does that mean, I wonder? What about the f'ing car wash reminded them of me? Dirty water running down a drain, maybe? So, for the first, and hopefully last, time I text back: "Don't text me again, thanks."

Now when I give out my cel number I just tell people not to text me, ever. Call me and we will make arrangements to meet at the coffee shop and talk and don't bring me any cheese or pens from the band or extra napkins from McDonalds or anything. If I want some cheese, I will go get my own f'ing cheese and thanks for no cheese.

Fieuf. *wiping sweat from brow*

I live in Albuquerque and can see the Sandia and Manzano Mts. from my house. Mountains to the east and high desert and dormant volcanos to the west. Rio Grande in between.

Not my style, Grump. My friend has a friend that pushes stuff on us constantly. It is so annoying. One night my friend came home with tons of food all for him and we could hardly jam it into our refrigerator and freezer. Then just this last week she shows up with a 25 pound turkey. It was free so she snagged the biggest one or it seems. It wouldn't fit in her freezer so she gave it to us. Two people and a 25 pound turkey? Not thinking clearly! The cat colony is having a feast on Thursday, oh wait, maybe Tuesday or Wednesday or whenever the darn bird has thawed. Here's the rub, he's going to her house for Thanksgiving dinner and he'd better not bring home left overs. This woman also brings her garage sale junk, books she has to have back and could have kept as we have no interest in reading them. I will give her credit I was able to pawn off a telescope on her recently so not all is lost.

I went for a walk with my friend on Saturday and there was a garage sale. Copious amounts of Christmas decorations were on display. The man we talked to said his wife drags home mountains of crap from garage sales and it just sits around. I think "Hoarder" and my friend and his friend are champion hoarders.

js, Oh thank goodness. I got scared when you said spontaneous gift giver. I am such a grump and I get that crap stopped as soon as it is inflicted on me. One woman I stopped got so offended she said, "Well, I'll never bother you again!". And she hasn't, either. Now, that was interesting to me in that, if I wasn't willing to play the indebtedness game, she wasn't willing to be a friend at all. Basically, she couldn't control the relationship to her satisfaction, I guess, so she left in a huff. I have been chuckling about it ever since.

I'm going to make up individual turkey pot pies for my friend as he loves them and the ones from the freezer department leave a lot to be desired in my opinion, Arkansas Gloria. After all the other foods the friend provided I was truly lucky to get this turkey into the refrigerator. I do keep a lot of homemade soups on hand in the freezer. I'll do fine with this turkey but it is far bigger than I would ever have taken on.

Grump, I think my friend's friend is a controller too. I've known her for a long time and this is just her way. She assumes she knows what's best for everyone so it is a moot point trying to do anything about her habits.

js. Last paragraph - That's just icky. I don't do that to others and I really don't like it when they do it to me. I let them know that, kindly, at first.

Just about everything I say to her goes right over her head. When I try to change a subject that does too. This is why my friend goes to her gatherings and I beg off. Now and then I'll go but unless the kids are there from college I would rather stay home alone. I don't try to control anyone save myself and I'm not all that controlling with me even. If someone needs controlling they are on their own in my book.

My friend has changed his eating habits enormously since I arrived on the scene. He went from having a permanent scowl with big belly to a simi-scowl and a flat belly. He'd whine about about weighing the same as he did in high school but he could get off his behind and move a bit faster. I think living in a laid back place like the island can truly put some in a vegetative state. He's down to a quarter of the aches and pain complaints and his disposition is getting better all of the time. I would say he was running with the wrong crowd.

We nearly didn't keep our friendship over this particular woman. She'd started her shenanigans right away after I arrived. Her inconsistencies and the disregard for others truly got to me. We were invited to celebrate her son's birthday at a restaurant that is quite popular with the locals. She asked my friend to arrive early to save a table. I told my friend that she had better be prompt as holding up a table at a busy restaurant is not something I'm willing to do. We got there and the son, husband and a friend of the son's showed up soon after. The husband called the woman after we'd waited 20 minutes for her. She told him to chill. There was a lot of excuses made for her, nervous chatter and teasing about her habits but it wasn't comfortable at all. Finally 40 minutes of waiting her son called her. She told him to shut up and she'd be there when she got there. Ten minutes later she showed up, didn't greet anyone just went off on her agenda. She sat down and just as her son predicted threw a fit that the restaurant wasn't serving her favorite Portuguese Bean Soup. Then she got up and left because she had to do something or talk to someone. That's when I got up and excused myself telling my friend that enough is enough. I bid best wishes and good-bye to the rest and took a walk. After the meal, my friend came to meet me and he was steaming mad. I told him that if he likes that kind of action be my guest but I will not sit for another's completely obnoxious and rude behavior. We had a few fights over my refusal to join gatherings with this woman and family but each time she did the exact same thing. For her to chew out her son on the phone then when she arrived was just more than I was willing to take. Oh, she also treated her husband like a piece of offal. I believe her generosity is to cover for her mistreatment of others.

I sure do AG! From time to time! But I try not to! (sometimes!)

(*whispreinggrins!*)

tell that to the politicians from both sides who have sold us down the river.........years of letting jobs go abroad, years of lobbyists buying influence, years of politicians lining their own pockets and years of fraud in every sector............it is simplistic to simply single out the corporations or slap a label on rich people.............it takes more corruption than one group even the unions have drained the working class..........the govt comes off as the ultimate MOOCH, produces nothing, but takes the lion's share of the money. Name one president that has ever helped the middle class.............the one that takes it for the team.............team poor and team rich??????

As long as one eye is open the other eye will see nothing.............open both eyes and see that money talks and BS walks........GOVT sells favors like a street walker...........

Hi Viva,

The fact that we have exported 80% of our jobs to countries that have lower wages than the US is not quite as you say.

tell that to the politicians from both sides who have sold us down the river.........years of letting jobs go abroad, years of lobbyists buying influence, years of politicians lining their own pockets and years of fraud in every sector............it is simplistic to simply single out the corporations or slap a label on rich people

I am sure that many of the things you write have been happening, but few of those claims caused the job flight. It was pure unadulterated greed...more profit. And, in some cases pure survival because the US simply could not compete with China one-on-one.

Remember Wal-Mart after the old man died. Once he was out of the picture that is when the madness began. Those gigantic sales for the Chinese catapulted them into all sorts of other markets, and you have the china-monster we have today.

true............greed wins

It's hard to see things when you are young.

Now we have the Chinese in our face, and we did it to ourselves. It's just a matter of time before our kids and grand-kids begin to see it!

Yes and yes, help the mom and pop stores if you need something, but I'm with you Queenie, needs only for me, and wants can be done at my own convenience....

Am I being a crab?

IMHO, No. You are being resourcesful, thoughtful, and frugal. With the way things are in our country of late, those are qualities that EVERYONE should posses - if they did, maybe we wouldn't be in the position that we are.

I'm with you Queenie and Grump, if I want something I'll purchase it for myself. Thank goodness my children aren't big consumers either. My son began refusing gifts years ago. He's a bit odd sometimes but he makes it really easy on it during holidays and his birthday. He got mad at me for sending him a gift for his birthday, so that's it for me. I just try to respect his wishes even when I don't always understand them. I sent him money as he'd mentioned how much he wanted a certain pair of boots. Whoops, my bad.

I think if we'd all just stop going on blind shopping binges, only purchased from American made and small businesses our country would catch a clue. This is my holiday wish. Snub the made elsewhere stuff for a season and I'll bet a big surprise would be in store.

js, great wish. Let's do it.

From these comments I think we have a pretty good group started, Grump!

My oldest daughter has a husband, three children, two dogs and a cat. She home schools and is very active in her children's lives with swimming, music lessons, dance and all. Her two oldest are very proficient in forensic investigations and have received awards for their efforts. She calls stressed out as she now has one a senior in college and one headed to college and a 9 year old. I wouldn't expect her to send gifts to me as it simply isn't necessary. She's sent a couple of books and a box of goodies from Trader Joe's (we don't have a TJs on the island)in the three and a half years I've been here. That suits me fine. Stress and gift giving just doesn't make sense to me.

For us computer aficionados, Rachel, 1 to 5 makes a whole lot of sense.

Bravo!